Equity and access: analysing the level and pattern of funding of teaching and learning resources in Australian schools. The project will develop indicators and evidence of best practice that will enable educators and schools to make improved and more informed decisions on how to support learners in the provision of teaching and learning resources.
Transforming the organisation of schooling: Technology and organisational change in the junior years of secondary school. Qualitative methods will be used to document ruptures in the traditional organisation of junior secondary schooling and to explore the role played by information and communication technology (ICT). Literature on the integration of ICT across the curriculum, generic capabilities in school-aged learners and the middle years of schooling suggests that a multi-dimensional constru ....Transforming the organisation of schooling: Technology and organisational change in the junior years of secondary school. Qualitative methods will be used to document ruptures in the traditional organisation of junior secondary schooling and to explore the role played by information and communication technology (ICT). Literature on the integration of ICT across the curriculum, generic capabilities in school-aged learners and the middle years of schooling suggests that a multi-dimensional construct will be developed, accommodating changes in the organisation of time, space and knowledge and in the roles played by teachers, students and parents. An analysis of the qualitative data will inform the development of a questionnaire which will then be tested and validated.Read moreRead less
Enhancing Distance Learning Programs: Using Information and Communication Technologies for Students in Rural Locations. The review of the Virtual Schooling Service in Queensland (2002) found that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) follows a content transmission model from producer to user. The 'cultural factors' that promote mediation and negotiation of subject matter are absent. The research partners propose to identify how cultural factors involved in 'information age' ....Enhancing Distance Learning Programs: Using Information and Communication Technologies for Students in Rural Locations. The review of the Virtual Schooling Service in Queensland (2002) found that the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) follows a content transmission model from producer to user. The 'cultural factors' that promote mediation and negotiation of subject matter are absent. The research partners propose to identify how cultural factors involved in 'information age' education can be 'delivered' through ICT for rural secondary students. The research will capture the potential of ICT to provide isolated students access to a wider curriculum consistent with contemporary educational thinking, thereby reducing rural educational disadvantage and minimising the loss of human resources.Read moreRead less
'Always on' Learning Communities: M-Learning landscapes transforming school cultures. Australia is going online: Internet access in Australian business is close to 100 percent and is almost 60 percent in households (ABS 2005). Ownership of mobile devices is growing at 10 percent each year and by the end of 2007 it is predicted by Telstra that close to 90 percent of the Australian population will own a mobile device. There has been a government commitment of $73 million for the development of onl ....'Always on' Learning Communities: M-Learning landscapes transforming school cultures. Australia is going online: Internet access in Australian business is close to 100 percent and is almost 60 percent in households (ABS 2005). Ownership of mobile devices is growing at 10 percent each year and by the end of 2007 it is predicted by Telstra that close to 90 percent of the Australian population will own a mobile device. There has been a government commitment of $73 million for the development of online curriculum content in Australia and New Zealand. However, there has been limited research to inform the use of such content in classrooms and no reference to the possibilities of using mobile devices. Sustainable futures rely on the relevant preparation of our young people to succeed in the knowledge society. Read moreRead less
Children, on-line learning and authentic teaching skills in primary education. The main aim of this project is to identify the authentic skills and strategies adopted by teachers of online learning programs in rural and urban locations. By studying teaching and learning behaviours in primary education we seek to match best practice in teaching with quality online learning outcomes. ICT experts acknowledge the urgency of this knowledge. Without clear indicators for teachers we run the risk of mis ....Children, on-line learning and authentic teaching skills in primary education. The main aim of this project is to identify the authentic skills and strategies adopted by teachers of online learning programs in rural and urban locations. By studying teaching and learning behaviours in primary education we seek to match best practice in teaching with quality online learning outcomes. ICT experts acknowledge the urgency of this knowledge. Without clear indicators for teachers we run the risk of mismatched traditional techniques and minimising teaching effectiveness. The expected outcomes will be benchmarked data linking numeracy and literacy standards with best practice in on-line teaching, and an accompanying interactive web based professional development package grounded in theory.Read moreRead less
Smart Communities - Applied research into integrated government services and regional networked neighbourhoods to support children and young people at risk. This applied research project investigates and provides directions for improvement in the life choices available to children and young people at risk in remote, rural and urban areas of Western Australia. It does this by (i) conducting a detailed study of children and young people at risk, as identified by government and non-government agen ....Smart Communities - Applied research into integrated government services and regional networked neighbourhoods to support children and young people at risk. This applied research project investigates and provides directions for improvement in the life choices available to children and young people at risk in remote, rural and urban areas of Western Australia. It does this by (i) conducting a detailed study of children and young people at risk, as identified by government and non-government agencies (ii) conducting quantitative and qualitative fieldwork into the communication patterns and information-seeking behaviour of children and young people at risk; (iii) exploring strategies and interventions through inter-agency co-operation in the provision of content and technology (as geographical or virtual communities).Read moreRead less
Design experiments in ICT in education research. How to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve teaching and learning outcomes has become a critical question for educators world-wide. Governments are investing hugely in hardware, software and infrastructure to support the use of technologies but the research conducted into their effective use in inadequate. This proposal will investigate a relatively new methodology, design experiments, that has potential to provide the b ....Design experiments in ICT in education research. How to use information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve teaching and learning outcomes has become a critical question for educators world-wide. Governments are investing hugely in hardware, software and infrastructure to support the use of technologies but the research conducted into their effective use in inadequate. This proposal will investigate a relatively new methodology, design experiments, that has potential to provide the basis for enhancing both pedagogy and outcomes through technology integration. The research will determine the major principles, methods and critical characteristics of design experiments, and develop guidelines for their use in ICT research.Read moreRead less
The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and ....The role of technology-enriched, technology-mediated learning communities in reforming mathematics teacher education. This project examines the impact of a technology-enriched teacher education program on beginning teachers' integration of educational technologies into secondary school mathematics classrooms. It seeks to increase theoretical understanding of how beginning teachers are initiated into a collaborative professional community featuring both web-based and face to face interaction, and how participation in such a community shapes their pedagogical beliefs and actions. Of central interest is the role of technologically knowledgeable pre-service and beginning teachers as agents ofinnovation and reform in secondary school mathematics. Outcomes will inform the design and implementation of models of pre-service teacher education and professional development.Read moreRead less
Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pa ....Blended learning in schools, TAFE and universities: experience, principles, patterns and practice. Effective use of technology in education depends upon the teacher's understanding of good ways to support learning. New uses of technology to improve learning are emerging constantly: the challenge is to share good practice. This project focuses on investigating the quality of blended learning experiences and using the outcomes to identify and share good practice using a format called a 'design pattern'. Design patterns combine research-based evidence and the knowledge of experienced practitioners in a format which is relatively easy to communicate, learn and apply. They are not yet used in teaching with technology. We will generate and test design patterns for learning through discussion in technology-based and other classroom settings.Read moreRead less
Cyberkids and cyberworlds: new literacies, identities and communities in formation. Little is known of the online cyberworlds of young Australians. Yet they are the highest users of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). This project theorises that these cyberworlds are sites for the development of new forms of literacy, identity and community. This study will achieve a new perspective by utilising a multi-disciplinary approach to produce case studies that examine new literacies an ....Cyberkids and cyberworlds: new literacies, identities and communities in formation. Little is known of the online cyberworlds of young Australians. Yet they are the highest users of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs). This project theorises that these cyberworlds are sites for the development of new forms of literacy, identity and community. This study will achieve a new perspective by utilising a multi-disciplinary approach to produce case studies that examine new literacies and communities generated online and their consequences for literacy and ICT education practice. Such information is vital in Australia and internationally if education is to produce the highly technologically literate citizens on whom future economic prosperity depends.Read moreRead less